One last look at the tower that witnessed it all
It took some time for our schedules to align, but it finally happened last Tuesday, July 29 — a day that felt like a quiet homecoming. Mark, Connie, Angela Lopez and I came together for a simple but meaningful pictorial by the iconic transmitter tower inside the ABS-CBN compound — a structure that, for so many of us, represents more than just a network; it represents family, memory and belonging.
When news came out last Feb. 27 that ABS-CBN had signed a memorandum of agreement with Ayala Land, Inc. to sell 30,000 square meters of its 44,027-square-meter property, a wave of sadness rippled through the hearts of past and present Kapamilyas. After all, this isn’t just land being sold. This is sacred ground — an enduring symbol in Quezon City, and a silent witness to countless stories, dreams and histories.
On July 9, a farewell program was held, inviting current and former employees to witness the permanent shutdown of the tower’s lights. I wasn’t able to attend, and it felt like a missed chance to say goodbye. But I still longed for my own moment of farewell. So, I reached out to Mark Lopez to ask if I might visit and take a photo by the tower. In true Kapamilya spirit, he graciously said yes.
To put things into perspective: I met Mark around 1995, at the very start of my journey with ABS-CBN. He was with Cinemagica, a subsidiary that managed theaters, while I was with ABS-CBN International. At the time, we worked out of Jusmag, a makeshift office in an old converted house a few blocks away from the main compound. The ELJ building was still under construction then, and Jusmag became a temporary home for several departments — Star Cinema, Sky Cable, Licensing, and ours.
Our office space, which we fondly called the “servant’s quarters,” was tiny, poorly ventilated and prone to flooding whenever it rained. But despite all that, those were some of the happiest, most formative days of my career. It was in those humble beginnings that I met Angela Lopez from Licensing, and Connie Nolasco, Mark’s girlfriend at the time, who worked with Sky Cable. Since Jusmag had no cafeteria, we found ourselves going out for lunch together almost daily. What began as lunch breaks turned into weekend gimmicks, road trips and years of laughter, tears and shared milestones. We even gave ourselves a name — CAMP, short for Connie, Angela, Mark and Pat-P. A friendship born of rainy days, rushed lunches and big dreams has now lasted over 30 years.
Last Tuesday, Angela and I took a walk down memory lane — literally — revisiting the main building and sharing stories that made us laugh and pause. We reminisced about the parties in the executive lounge, the “kitchen cabinet” lunches on the executive floor and the whispered conversations that echoed through the halls. If only those walls could speak, they’d tell a thousand stories — some hilarious, some heartbreaking, all unforgettable.
After our photos were taken by the tower and in front of the ABS-CBN logo in the lobby, we made our way to the ELJ building, where most of the remaining offices and studios will eventually move. Sadly, the part of the compound sold to Ayala Land includes the Dolphy Theatre and the chapel — two spaces that carry immense emotional weight for those of us who called this place home. My hope is that these spaces will be preserved, honored and perhaps given a new life that continues to inspire.
At ELJ, the atmosphere was unexpectedly vibrant. We had visited on a Tuesday, one of the two in-office days (along with Wednesday), and the building was alive with activity. Familiar faces and warm smiles filled the halls, and with every greeting, it felt like no time had passed at all.
On the 15th floor, I ran into August Benitez, head of sales, and Bobby Barreiro, chief partnership officer and Tootsy Angara, wife of Sec. Sonny and the cluster head of sales and advertising, and enjoyed catching up with them. I was also overjoyed to reconnect with so many incredible women: Jenny Sia and Eri Manaois from Mark’s office; Dina Acierto from Carlo Katigbak’s; Jessa Lufamia from Mark Nepomuceno’s; Jats Macadaeg and Che Che Samulde from Gabby Lopez’s; Weng Quijano and Leng Caharian from Cory Vidanes’s; and Maville Pambid from Charo Santos-Concio’s.
Just as we were about to leave, Carlo and Charo emerged from a meeting. True to their kind and gracious nature, they took a moment to take a photo with me — a small gesture that meant the world.
The visit was deeply bittersweet. It stirred memories that are impossible to forget and emotions that are hard to name. I left with a heart full of gratitude — for the people, the friendships, the struggles and the triumphs that shaped who I am today.
Wherever life may lead, ABS-CBN will always be a part of me. It was never just a job. It was a chapter of life lived with purpose, passion and the joy of being part of something bigger than myself.
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